This book on laboratory facilities is another in Wiley’s “Building Type Basics” series.
It is not a coffee-table book lavish with color photography but meager in usable
content. Rather, it contains the kind of essential information to which architects,
consultants, and their clients need ready access, especially in the crucial early phases
of a project. As architectural practice becomes more generalized and firms pursue
commissions in an expanding range of building types, the books in the series provide
a convenient, hands-on source of such basic information.
Like the others in the series, this volume is tightly organized for ease of use. The
heart of the book is a set of twenty questions most frequently asked about a building
type in the early stages of its design. These cover such concerns as programming and
predesign, project process and management, design concerns unique to the type, and
site planning. Also included are building code and ADA matters, engineering systems,
energy and environmental challenges, as well as special equipment, interior design and
materials issues, lighting and acoustic concerns, wayfinding, and renovation/
upgrading. The final questions take up international challenges, operation and
maintenance, and cost and feasibility concerns.